The present invention is a method for officers to automatically check passing vehicles to determine if the car is registered to a wanted criminal, or if the vehicleregistration is expired or invalid.
Often a Highway Patrol Officer or local Police Officer will pull a vehicle over for suspicious driving techniques, or vehicle violations. When an officer approaches a stopped vehicle the more information they have about the registered owner(s) of the car. For example, a driver may have out standing warrants for their arrest on various charges. The officers can put themselves in jeopardy without knowing it if they are approaching a car belonging to a wanted criminal. Likewise states have registries for convicted sex offenders. These registries are in place to protect citizens from repeat offenses. A link from these databases to data such as a license plate number would help officers in knowing whom they were dealing with before pulling the car over.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,528 issued to Buck on Apr. 28, 1987 shows an Apparatus for remote termination of the operation of a selected motor vehicle. Buck''s invention is unlike the present invention because it is intended to stop a vehicle by use of a RF transmitter. It does not supply highway patrol with a means to track individuals with outstanding warrants, registered sex offenders, and to track vehicle citations.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,764,138 issued to Lowe on Jun. 9, 1998 shows a RF identification system for providing static data and one bit of variable data representative of an external stimulus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,018 issued to Lowe, et al. on Sept. 30, 1997 shows a Transponder system for responding the distance traveled by a wheeled vehicle. Lowe''s invention is unlike the present invention because it is intended to relay tire pressure information to a control panel to alert a driver if tire pressure is low. Lowe et al.''s invention is unlike the present invention because it relays driving distance information by a relay at the tires. Neither of these inventions provides a means of connecting a car to an external database so that passing police officers have additional information on the registered owner of that vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,745 issued to Douglas on Apr. 11, 2000 shows a Navigation system for automatic guided vehicle. Douglas'' invention is unlike the present invention because it does not provide a means for police officers to scan passing and parked cars for vehicles registered to wanted criminal, or registered sex offenders. The system also does not offer police officers a system of monitoring commercial vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,278 issued to Janman on Dec. 19, 2000 shows an Electronic locating system for locating vehicles at assembly plants. Janman''s invention is unlike the present invention because it is a searching system using a particular VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and a transmitter based on a lamp post or other structure in a parking lot, and a receiver in each car on the lot. It does not provide a means for highway patrol to scan any moving car, or parked car, and requires the car owner to voluntarily register the vehicle and install a scanner receiver in their car.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,236,911 issued to Kruger on May 22, 2001 shows a Load monitoring system and method utilizing transponder tags. Kruger''s invention is unlike the present invention because it is intended to double check loads on freight transferring vehicles such as tractor trailers. Kruger''s invention does not provide a means of connecting the system to a police database of vehicle violations or wanted criminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,220 issued to Elliott on Apr. 2, 2002 shows a RF tag based system and method for drive-through applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,710 issued to Anthonyson on Apr. 7, 1998 shows an Automated vehicle parking system for a plurality of remote parking facilities. Elliott''s invention is unlike the present invention because it shows a method of having a RF transmitter attached to vehicle and linked to a credit card to ease payment through drive through locations Anthonyson''s invention uses the same technology to bill cars and manages accounts for long term parking facilities. Neither of these inventions provide a means for highway patrol officers to determine if a vehicle belongs to a wanted criminal, a registered sex offender o\r if the vehicle''s registration or tag is not correct or up to date.
Therefore a need has been established for storing commercial and passenger vehicle''s VIN, plate and registration information in an RF Tag or similar passive data storage device mounted or embedded within commercial or passenger vehicles.